In Jeopardy
by Hannibaquila
Summary: Anakin blinks once. Embers flies in front of him, orange contrasts with the blue of sky, before dying and flying away like black snowflakes. Twice. He doesn't feel anything. His mind is clung to the calming blue, and suddenly has a hunch that he will fall in the sky. Trice.
1. Crash

No sound.

The sky is blue, bright and pleasant at the same time. No clouds on the horizon. The wind rises in lights gusts. Some golden lock of hair strokes his forehead. The chilled grass brushes his cheek, drops a few dewdrops on it. The air smells like burnt. The stillness is soothing, soporific. His breathing is slow, superficial. His body is motionless. His back is damp against the ground.

The silence.

Anakin blinks once.

Embers flies in front of him, orange contrasts with the blue of sky, before dying and flying away like black snowflakes.

Twice.

He doesn't feel anything. His mind is clung to the calming blue, and suddenly has a hunch that he will fall in the sky.

Trice.

His rib cage swells suddenly. The air dives into his throat, dries up the way. The falling sensation disappears and gives way to a heavy body, crushed on the floor. The heat is intense, the air is full of humidity. He burns under the sun. The sweat runs on his skin, soaks his clothes. The dust hits his face relentlessly. The crakling of fire wakes up in his ears. The wind blows and hits the trees. The branches rub. His heart beats in his temples and behind his eyes.

He moves one finger, two, confines gravel in his fist for a moment and sits up with elbows. The pain slices his ribs and right leg. A whine escapes his mouth. He lowers his eyes to his leg. A piece of metal pass through his thigh. He lays a trembling hand at the base of the injury and fall on his left side. The wind blows against his back, his hair cover the upper part of his face. Anakin curls up a bit, grimaces in pain, and looks around him. The shock and panic slowly make their way through his veins.

Debris are scattered on the black ground. Metal, glass, cables, all kind of mechanic pieces... His lightsaber. Only a few meters away.

Recollection rush through his thoughts. The attack, the crash.

He's abruptly took back to the present when the wind blows another gust. His saber rolls a bit more away from him. Anakin make a face and extend his left hand to the object. The weapon barely jump. Frustration hits Anakin. He sighs and crawls towards his saber. The effort is huge, the ground has no grips. His muscles are aching, but every progress wakes his shocked body up. His right eye burns, his eyesight becomes red. He stops for a moment and brings the back of his hand to his eye, covering his ripped glove with blood. He grits his teeth and keep on crawling.

The tall fragment who's going through his leg scrapes the ground at times, getting grunts of pain out of him. The wind lifts dust up again, he stops and closes his eyes to protect them. He pushes a cable away, the saber is near. The debris get stuck behind a little stone. He releases a shout muffled by the wind. He stops again and extends his left hand toward his lightsaber. He stretches toward it, waking up the pain in his ribs even more. He brushes past the saber with the tips of his fingers. He frowns, clenches his jaw, a growl of rage escapes him and his lightsaber flies to his hand. He sighs, his features relax and he turns on his back, but keeps his leg as immobile as possible. His eyes close for a moment, he catches his breath.

Anakin presses the saber's button and opens his eyelids simultaneously. He grasps the debris carefully but firmly. His vision is a bit blurred, his limbs shudder slightly. He catches his breath and cuts off the metal by leaving a dozen of centimeters out of the leg. He repeats the action behind his thigh but cuts as near to the leg as possible. He throws the cut pieces away and turns off his lightsaber. He sits up, covers his ribs with right hand, and manages to haul himself on his left knee. His left hand supports his weight on the ground. He manages to fasten his lightsaber to his belt and, helping himself with both hands, stands up with caution. His legs shakes a bit, but he knows where he goes.

The ship. Or what's left of it.

The white and yellow steaming carcass has dug a trench behind it when it crashes on the black soil. Anakin tries a step, then another. His hurt leg throbs painfuly, the metal rolls in his muscle when he contracts them.

A dull noise. An explosion. His blood freezes again. Anakin wipes his bloody eyebrow and raises his eyes to the sky. A ship just flew through the athmosphere. Thick, black smoke hides the shape of it. Debris fly and consume behind it. The ship falls nearby Anakin, his speed only seems to grow. Red patterns adorn the sheet metal of the spacecraft.

His breath is caught in his throat, his eyes open wide.

 _Master!_

The ship passes a few meters over Anakin, hits the ground thirty meters away from him but only stop at meters.

Anakin's blood blocks before a wave of adrenaline rushes suddenly into his body.

 _Master!_

He hurries towards the steaming carcass, limping. He doesn't see a thing with all the smoke. His heart beats extremely fast in his chest. His breath is loud and he's a bit lightheaded.

 _Master!_

He doesn't feel anything in the Force. His presence. He doesn't feel it. Fear ravages his mind.

A blast. Anakin protects himself with his forearms, but doesn't look away. Debris fly in every direction. Flames and steam stir together in a violent humming smoke plume.

Anakin hurries to the wreck even faster, if that's possible. The wind pushes joltingly againts his back. He pratically doesn't feel the pain anymore. His eyes scan the area.

And when he finally reaches it, the ship is empty. And the Force is silent.

His breath becomes harsher and harsher, fear eats him up. He wipes his eyebrow again, pushes away the wet hair blocking the view.

He looks around, seeks _him_.

He shakes his head a bit and closes his eyes. His clung hands unwind a bit. He catches his breath. He manages to release a bit of his anxiety into the Force and-

A scintillation.

It's everything he needed. His eyes snaps open. He turns a bit on himself.

There, down the hill where he stands, lies a giant metallic piece. A wing of the ship. Probably more than the half is stuck down the little river's water, digging its way between two ebony reliefs.

Anakin gets down the slope as fast as he can, nearly slipping on the gravel multiple times.

 _Master!_

The Force quivers for a short moment for an answer. His heart tightens in his chest.

He reaches the debris. He nearly drops himself next to it to watch on the little space that allow him to look under it.

"Obi-Wan!"

The man is barely visible from where Anakin is, immersed in the dim light under the wing. But a weak answer reaches him.

"An... akin..."

Anakin manages to pass his hand under the wreck, and softly grabs Obi-Wan's shoulder.

"It'll be okay. I'll get you out of here."

Anakin catches a light nod. He gently presses his fingers on Obi-Wan's shoulder before breaking off the physical contact.

He gets up fast, moved by the strength of relief. He takes a step back, and raises his hands in front of him. His eyebrows knits together when he closes his eyes. His hands tense in the effort. The wing is so heavy. Anakin tenses more and more. The piece rises a bit but soon looses it progression. Anakin grinds his teeth. His master will not stay captive of this rubble.

A resurgence in the Force, and he manages to move the piece enough to allow Obi-Wan to be exposed. The wing falls heavily on the bank of water, and slides a little bit more into the grayish liquid.

Obi-Wan has a leg drowned in the stream, a thin trickle of blood rippling in the little waves before diluting. His other boot grazes the surface. His lightsaber is still fixed to his belt. A deep red stain soaks his tunic from under his left ribs to his collarbone. Half of his face is covered in blood on the left side. His blue eyes, now pale, are clung to the sky that's slowly becoming orange.

Anakin lets himself fall next to Obi-Wan once again. He places his hand on that same shoulder he's been holding a few moments ago.

"Master..."

His voice is soft but the fear is perceptible. Obi-Wan's eyes abruptly leave the sky to stuck with Anakin's.

"Help me... to sit u-" he enunciates while trying to pick himself up on an elbow.

Anakin forces him to lie down gently. But he doesn't need to push a lot for Obi-Wan to lie back.

"Oh no, no. You are not going to move. Not until I've examined you."

Obi-Wan sighs but his breath is cut by a painfull wine.

"Anakin..."

Anakin gets up, puts his hands under Obi-Wan's armpits, straightens him back up a bit before pulling him away from the water. Obi-Wan muffles a cry by pressing his lips together.

Now that he's outside the water, Anakin can check on the wounds. He wipes his eyebrow once more before unfastening Obi-Wan's belt a bit. He spreads every fabric panels covering his master. The wound on his torso doesn't really bleed anymore, it's superficial.

Anakin puts the tunics back in place and moves to Obi-Wan's legs. He tries to see where the blood still flowing on the ground comes from but he doesn't find anything serious.

"Anakin... My back."

Anakin nods and gets up. He grasps Obi-Wan's left arm and carefully pulls him to the right to make him roll to his right side. Obi-Wan clenches his teeth. They share a glance. Obi-Wan hardly nods. Anakin steps over his shaking body and notices Obi-Wan's back is crossed by a huge smear that's such a dark red it seems to be black in the twilight. The fabric is damp, saturated. Anakin moves the ripped fabric away a bit. A curse slips from his mouth.

"Obi-Wan."

His voice has that same sweetness as before, but is also sharper.

Obi-Wan turns his head to look at him in the eyes. Anakin leans a bit more toward his face to allow him not to twist his neck.

"It's almost nightfall. We must find shelter."

Obi-Wan nods slowly.

"The wound on your back is serious." His eyes leaves his mater's ones to stare at his hair. "And your head..."

Anakin leans a bit, passes a hand in his master's hair delicately, only to move some sticky bloody locks of hair aside. Two carvings are drawn. They begin at the scalp line to get lost away in the strands of hair. Shallow.

"That seems superficial."

Obi-Wan swallows, his breath is short. He moves as less as possible, shaking under Anakin's hands.

"Let's go... Now."

Anakin nods. Leaning over him, he passes Obi-Wan's arm, whom he's still holding, behind his neck. Obi-Wan hangs onto Anakin's fabric while the latter grabs the fabric on the master's shoulder blade.

"One... Two... Three!"

Obi-Wan bears the chock of the change of position, from laying to standing. His vision darkens and stars sparkle for a moment. His back is throbbing horribly, his legs weaken under the pain. Fortunately, he's still support by Anakin.

He takes time to get used to it and balances himself. They move a bit further and Obi-Wan finally takes the time to look at his ex-apprentice's state. His wound on the right eye will certainly leave a scar. He continues to check on his brother in arms, and apart from scratches and ripped fabric, nothing to report. Until he catches the shining metal in his thigh.

"Anakin..."

Anakin, lost in the relief of finding back his master, straightens up a bit when he hear his name.

"It's nothing Master, I'll take care of it when we'll be in a safe place."

"It doesn't looks like... nothing."

Anakin doesn't even answer and grabs Obi-Wan's arm still resting on his shoulders. Obi-Wan finds himself pressed against Anakin's side, the latter's right arm catches hold of his hip while avoiding his gaping cut.

Anakin looks around them a moment before deciding to go back up the slight slope. The exercise would be ridiculously easy in other circumstances. Anakin takes as much weight on him as he can to relief Obi-Wan. But his thigh pulses under the effort. Adrenaline lowers, pain wakes up more and more. He grits his teeth, eyes focused one the top of the hillock.

Arrived at the top, they stop to catch their breath back. The ship's carcass is a dozen meters away from them on their left. The steam is less thick than when Anakin has arrived here.

"Can you stand for a few moments?"

Obi-Wan seems to gauge his capacity for a second before nodding softly. Anakin releases his grip on his master's hip, grabs Obi-Wan's tightened hand on his tunic and cautiously raises the arm above his head. He doesn't let go of his master until he's certain that he can stand. They exchange a look, and Anakin lets go.

Obi-Wan watches Anakin limp towards the machine. He gulps. He focuses for an instant and unleashes his fear in the Force. Anakin is here. They will make it. His back is on fire, and he can barely endure the pain. He vaguely distincts Anakin slipping the strap of a bag over his head to let it hang on his left. Anakin swipes his forehead and once again bends over in the cockpit. He blows on the screens to clear the dust and tries to turn on the computers. It crackles, a picture shows up on the radars before instantly dissappearing. Anakin sighs. He straightens up leaning on the edge of the ship and comes back to Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan is staggering, a hand on his forehead. Anakin hurries up and barely catches Obi-Wan. The younger one sighs, unsatisfied.

« Let's go. »

He once again sets Obi-Wan's arm over his shoulders and starts walking. The older one is heavy against him. Anakin tightens his grip on his master's tunic.

« Don't worry, » Obi-Wan's voice weakens « It's gonna be alright. »

Anakin keeps his eyes fixed on the surrounding, and leads them towards what seems to be mountains. The environment is nearly barren. Everywhere, the sand and gravel are black. Some dead trees are scattered here and there. The sky is on fire now that the sun is setting. The wind, on the other hand, doesn't wane.

After what seems to be forever, they finally reach what should be their shelter for the night. Anakin is briefly reminded of those nights passed in humid caves during dangerous missions.

The rock seems to have grown from the ground to stand perfectly straight, the slices of stone seem sharp. Between two rock facades was stuck a thick plate, creating this a small alcove.

Anakin comes close, slightly pushing the stone with his hand, but it doesn't move a bit.

As soon as they take shelter in this small hole, the wind doesn't reach them anymore. Everything suddenly feels so quiet. Only their breath and the grating of their boots on the gravel echoes in the tiny cave.

Anakin carefully pulls apart from Obi-Wan and lays him down on the ground, on his right side. He then takes off the bag and puts it near Obi-Wan. He manages to sit next to him, with difficulty. They're both exhausted, their bodies are sore from pain and effort.

Anakin opens the bag and checks its content. He takes the water bottle and opens it. He leans toward Obi-Wan and slips his hand under his neck to raise his head up. Their eyes meet. Anakin delicately brings the bottleneck to Obi-Wan's lips, watering him by small swallows.

Obi-Wan doesn't take his eyes off Anakin during the exchange. He feels the Force diminish. And he knows. But cannot bring himself to tell Anakin.

Anakin puts the bottle down and accompanies Obi-Wan's head back to the ground, his hand still set under his wet neck. He drinks in turn, only a few swallows, before putting away the bottle.

Anakin grabs his half-torn sleeve on the shoulder seam. He sharply pulls three times and finds himself with the damaged sleeve in his hands. He takes a look around before using the Force to bring a small, sharp stone to him. He manages to cut strips of fabric and use them to mop up the blood off his face as well as Obi-Wan's, who dozes on the ground.

He then wraps a longer strip around his right thigh and strongly tightens it. His pulls a face, the pain peaking in rythm with the pulse. He then takes his saber off his belt.

Obi-Wan stares at his every move, well aware now.

Anakin takes hold of the piece of metal lodged in his leg. His breathing stops, then curtly restarts, his body tense with apprehension.

« I'm doing it. »

Anakin turns his head towards Obi-Wan who straightens up a bit.

« Give me... Your lightsaber. »

Anakin hesitates, but eventually puts it in his master's hands. He helps him sit up and sets himself in front of him, so he can easily reach his leg.

They look at each other for an instant, the silence is heavy. The wind whistles in the distance.

The saber lightens up the surrounding darkness with a vivid blue tint.

Anakin once again grabs the piece of metal, his breathing resuming his halting. But as he looks at Obi-Wan, he is somehow caught by serenity. His hand ceases its trembling on the metal. His breathing calms down. One last look, one last breath, and he removes the piece from his thigh.

The sound is sickening, the pain excruciating. Anakin doesn't try to hold his screams in. What is there to hide ? His eyes are closed. A tear rolls on his cheek while he fights to stay still. His flesh suddenly burns, twice, and typical smell of burnt invades the small enclosed space.

He's going to lose conciousness.

« Anakin ! »

 _Obi-Wan._

« Stay with me. »

Anakin slouched on his left side without noticing. Obi-Wan's hand lightly rests on his knee. He sits up a little, recovering his mind. The pain has shifted, his wound is boiling. The lightsaber doesn't illuminate the room anymore. Anakin gets back the weapon Obi-Wan gives him and attaches it to his belt.

« Turn around. »

Obi-Wan accomodates, his gestures once again trembling but confident. He unfastens his belt which Anakin retrieves to put it next to him. He then helps Obi-Wan take off the tunics he's wearing. The material slides on the broad shoulders, Anakin tries to delicately part them from the open wound that crosses out Obi-Wan's back.

Anakin sees the muscles tense despite his precautions. Once removed, he also puts the tunics next to him. Obi-Wan slightly fails, but manages to stay sit.

The cut is big. Deep. It starts at the top of the back, digging a trail between the right shoulderblade and the spine, and reaches Obi-Wan's left hip. Anakin feels his heart painfully touched.

Anakin grabs a bigger piece of sleeve and the water bottle. He slightly soaks the fabric and tries to clean up the outline of the wound. From time to time, Obi-Wan lets out a whistling of pain.

Once cleaned up, Anakin grabs the only other thing present in the small bag : bacta patches. He applies them as gently as possible but without lingering. Obi-Wan tightens his fists on his trousers.

Once finished, Anakin counts the amount of patches remaining. Nine out of twelve.

He then unfastens his own belt, the leater straps crossing his shoulders, his now one-sleeved tunic, and the last one. It's barely torn. He then puts it on Obi-Wan's shoulder before putting back on his torn tunic. When he gets up to walk around Obi-Wan and crouch before him, the look he catches his questioning.

« Sleep, Master. I'll do the first spell of duty. »

Anakin is assaulted by doubt, but doesn't let it show. His feelings are sealed off.

A longer exchange of stare. Anakin percieves a thank, and relief. Resignation. Anakin blinks, surprised. But the contact is broken off.

Obi-Wan lies down on his right side, quickly helped by Anakin who leads him in the most comfortable position possible. A few seconds later, as fatigue knocks him down, he feels Anakin softly raising up his head. And when he puts it back down, his cheek lies against a soft material, and the familiar smell of leather takes him to a heavy sleep.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed it! :) Don't hesitate leaving a review!**


	2. Collapsing

Okay hum, don't hate me please XD

* * *

His breathing lost her depth. His mind emerges from a dreamless sleep. Obi-Wan's eyelids barely open, close, and open again. His eyes adjust to the creamy morning light, and the ambiant humidity contrast with yesterday's dry air.

Obi-Wan is relaxed and seeing Anakin lying in front of him makes his awakening even more pleasant. Anakin's head lies on his folded arm, his skin is fouled with black dust in places, his hair are dirty and two thin curls stick to his forehead. His breathing is steady, his lips are slightly open and his breath cleared a triangle on the dusty ground.

Obi-Wan remains plunged into his contemplation, memories, immerses himself and loses track of time. He remembers the morning when he woke up and found a young sleeping Anakin wrapped in a cover next to his bed after a nightmare, when they shared their last meals in silence before going to the battlefield, their meditation sessions in the Temple's Garden,... All those moments out of time, to which the present moment is added. And Obi-Wan thinks it might be the last one. Only the wind breaks the silence while his heart tightens in his chest, and this pain spreads under his ribs to hurt his gut. It settles there. He makes sure his mind shields are high enough not to alert the sleeping one.

He raises his hand toward Anakin to clear his forehead, but the pain in his back wakes up under the sudden tightness and a whine escape him. Anakin's eyelids open immediatly, as if he had never been asleep. Resting on an elbow, he leans toward his Master.

Obi-Wan closes his eyes to contain his pain and hide it. He feels like his back is on fire, but he struggles to raise a hand to Anakin to reassure him.

« I'll change your dressing. » says Anakin with a hoarse voice, the only proof of his wakening.

Obi-Wan hears him getting up while he's breathing his pain out and tries to relax. He hears his disciple sit behind him, taking his gloves off, then the medicine bag's latch opening. He can't manage to control his little shaking and hides his face in his leather pillow. He tries to accept the pain before he inhales the fabric's soothing perfume. As well as the particular fragrance of the material, he recognizes smoke, earth and _Anakin_ 's scent.

A hand lightly touches his shoulder. After a short amount of time, the fingers press the tunic a bit in a silent question.

« Go on. »

The hand leaves his shoulder and comes to grab the fabric's side crossed over his chest. Anakin helps him work his arm through the sleeve. Once exposed, Obi-Wan's skin covers up with goosebumps.

Anakin frowns at the sight. The heat is nearly oppressive even if the Sun has just risen. The concern reaches him even more.

He keeps up the medical care however, and proceeds with as gently as possible. He sees Obi-Wan's muscles tense when he removes the patches, and sends him comfort through their bond.

Obi-Wan tries to control his breathing, eyes still closed. He feels the reassurance caresses from Anakin but that odd pain constricting his chest and belly doesn't allow him to be as relaxed as he wishes to be. He concentrates on Anakin's hands when they are in contact with his skin, the heat of his fingers. He enjoys every moment, every sensations.

Anakin's hands shake a bit when he throws the bloody patches in the corner of the shelter. He remains sitting a few seconds, eyes fixed on Obi-Wan's shaking body, uncertain. The very idea of what he's about to do repels him, but they have no other choice anymore. They have to seize every opportunity, time is short.

Reluctantly, he gets up and sits down in front of his Master. Anakin leans to catch the fabric behind Obi-Wan. He covers him without passing his arm in the sleeve and lets his hand on the curve of his shoulder. The lying man turns his head towards him, abandoning the leather to look at Anakin in the eyes for the first time today.

Anakin's mechanic hand leaves the shoulder it's resting on to brush Obi-Wan's cheek, and sets down on his jaw, fingers plunges on his hair. The metal thumb gently strokes his cheek, and Obi-Wan manages to relax. His breathing settles and his shaking disapears. Their eyes never leave each other, and Anakin feels the anger rise when the only thing he sees in his Master's eyes is his plea for forgiveness.

« They'll come. They'll find us. »

Obi-Wan feels Anakin's hand tense when he tries to convince him, and he closes his eyes, unable to look at him anymore. He opens to the Force that sways again. He doesn't perceive anything into the future. His heart tightens and he still doesn't find the strenght to contradict Anakin. He takes a deep breath and releases his emotions into the Force.

The hand leaves his cheek.

« But I must go back to the ship. If I can contact them sooner... »

Anxiety suddenly rises in Obi-Wan and Anakin is surprised when he sees his eyes open. His Master's too white face is emotionless, but his eyes are clouded.

Anakin feels his throath tighten while Obi-Wan looks away and nods before closing his eyelids. The tautness regained his body and he's shaking again.

« I'll be quick. »

His voice is weaker than he'd wished. The anger still leads him, but it's against himself this time.

A last, delicate pressure on his shoulder and Obi-Wan hears him getting up and leave. And when his eyes fly open, his eyesight blurred, the maddening pain hasn't left his heart nor his gut at no time. Only when the limping steps are maked inaudible by the wind, he finally allows a tear to slide on his temple.

.

.

Anakin walks as fast as he can, using the Force to go faster. He doesn't know how long he's been walking exactly, lost in his mind.

He tries to control his anger and the powerless sensation overwhelming him when he thinks about Obi-Wan. During their numerous missions, he's never seen Obi-Wan being so resigned, and it troubles him as much as it annoys him.

On that moment, he's certain he's never wanted to be in the Temple as much as now, being in what is the closest thing to home for him, being safe. The shelther seemed much more distant from the crash area the day before.

 _._

 _._

The sun is highest in the sky and hits the ground with its rays of light, overheating it. The sky is an intense blue again, and the wind doesn't give any coolness.

Obi-Wan surfaces from a feverish sleep when he hears a sound. Eyes closed, he breathes in, face still pressed against the leather. _Anakin._ Exhaustion clouds his mind and he feels falling again into the sleep. The sound echoes for the second time and his eyes are fully open now. He immediately notices the three little bright figure who seem to balance themselves on the horizon line and shine in the scenery. Hope engulfs him.

 _They came. They're there. We'll survive._

Obi-Wan sits up, lets the cloth slips from his shoulders and rubs his eyes. He then focuses more on the individuals. He needs a few more seconds to notice they are moving toward him, faster and faster, until they start running. They found him.

 _We'll survivre._

Obi-Wan blinks fast, his vision gets clearer. They race with a crazy speed. Their tunic's fabric panel is a blazing yellow and flies behind them. And it's only when they are close enough from Obi-Wan, and when all the fatigue has left his mind, that the truth hits him.

The noise echoes a third time, and this time Obi-Wan recognized it as a roar. He tenses, and instinct takes control of his body. Immediately, he brings his hand to his hip but it closes on nothing and his blood freezes. He quickly looks around him and notices his belt laying away from him, with the rest of his ripped clothes.

A curse escapes him and a cry resonates again. Obi-Wan looks at what is running towards him and sees them very clearly now. Longs and thin white legs pass through the bright fabric, and bears powerful talons on a dewclaw. Apart from the clothes, tall yellow feathers cover the creatures to the top of their head, but their faces are hidden by a black mask. Their long arms are painted in red and are ready to kill.

Obi-Wan rushes to his lightsaber, waking up the pain in his back even more. He falls to the ground, and lets out a painful breat. He hears steps hammer the ground, and panic increases, leads all his moves. One second he's looking to the monsters, and the next one his lightsaber.

The metalic object flies to his hand and he straightens up just when one of the giant creature howls while propelling itself toward him. It removes his mask and unveil a huge mouth full of teeth, as black as the skin surrounding it, overhung by a pair of sharp little bright red eyes. For a moment, Obi-Wan thinks this creature is probably what a demon looks like. He draws his lightsaber as an automatic reflex, and slices. The next moment, his back is on fire. The beast fall to the ground, cut in two at the abdomen.

It doesn't stops the two other who jump in turn on the Jedi. But the little cave isn't big enough for those kinds of fights. Obi-Wan collides with the walls with his lightsaber when he strikes, and he narrowly manages to avoid colliding his head on the rock while avoiding a jaw. Growls echo as the lightsaber's humming increases when it makes contact with the flesh.

Obi-Wan falls on his knees before collapsing.

 _._

 _._

Anakin, arms full of his Jedi cape and mecanic pieces salvaged on the ship, takes his eyes off of his boots to look far away. A sudden drop into the Force makes him hurry up. He recognizes the mountain ridge where the cave is located. His pace increases again. He took more time than he expected, and the separation with his Master seems to be unberable now. There is only a few meters left, but he notices something yellow going over the shelter. He begins to scamper along, and his heart races when he hears a growl. He drops his bundle, catches his lightsaber before lighting it up and speeds up to the shelther.

A very sticky blood covers the entrance and some dismembered leftovers are spread on the ground. Then, Anakin notices the half of a terrible creature stirring itself on the ground, and seems to crawl toward... _Obi-Wan !_

Anakin finishes the dying creature off with one sharp blow of his lightsaber and runs to his Master who seems still. He lands a knee on the ground and is only able to look at Obi-Wan, uncertain if he must change his position. Most of the patches are detached from his back, and the little care the wound had recieved seemed erased. The cut even seems to have expanded. A giant red stain darkens on his ribs and numerous scratches cover Obi-Wan's naked shoulders. Anakin, throath constricted, manages to turn him on his side and finds his hands covered in blood.

« Obi-Wan... ! » Anakin's apprehension has filled his voice.

Obi-Wan coughs, spits blood out and a red trickle leaks on his cheek. His eyes are empty and his skin is covered by a thin layer of sweat. He calms down at the sight of his apprentice.

« An.. akin... » he swallows « I... I thought ... »

 _\- I thought that was them._ Echoes Obi-Wan's voice in their bound.

Anakin pushes the blond strands of hair off of his Master's face, helpless. And suddenly, Obi-Wan releases his mental shields, unable to keep them on anymore. Anakin is flooded by his Master's pain and his mind becomes so limpid to him that he perceives every emotions. Guilt, need for forgiveness, affection, relief, anxiety, sadness, gratitude, fatalism. His heart drums painfully in his chest as he strokes Obi-Wan's hair to try to reassure him. Or reassuring himself, he can't decide.

 _\- Everything will be fine, I'm here, We'll get out of here !_

 _-Anakin, I... I won't-_

Anakin feels a spin into the Force, but the very idea of losing his Master repels him with so much strenght that he refuses to believe it.

 _\- We'll get through this ! You'll get through this !_

A new fit of coughing shakes Obi-Wan, and a bit more blood drips along his mouth and forms a dark stain on the ground.

 _\- I'm so proud of you, Anakin._

Anakin leans a bit more toward his Master and raises his hands to frame Obi-Wan's face. The last one sighs to the contact of the burning palms of the youngest one, pleased to have him to his side. His breathing is erratic, his body shakes and he doesn't discern the setting anymore. Only Anakin's face is still clear and he focuses on it. Their eyes are screwed together, both of them unable to look anywhere else. Their bond shivers under the intensity of the moment, and Anakin clings to it with all his strenght, refusing to accept what the Force is screaming at him right now.

 _\- Obi-Wan, don't talk like that..._

 _\- I'm so glad I was your teacher, having you by my side. I was so afraid to fail. That I wouldn't fulfill. But you'll be a great Jedi Master._

Anakin's shoulders shake and he feels his eyes sting. His thumbs tirelessly caress Obi-Wan's cold and pale cheeks, who gives a slight smile.

 _-_ Master...

 _-Don't be sad Anakin. There is no death, there is the Force._

Anakin leans even more, and press his forehead to Obi-Wan's. His breathing is chopped and his shoulders shake under the sobs but he tries to contain himself. A tear rolls down his cheek, the only proof of his failure. Obi-Wan slowly raises a hand to graze his apprentice's cheek and to wipe the tear. Obi-Wan's breathing is wheezing now.

 _\- Don't go. Please._

Obi-Wan's hand falls on Anakin's wrist and grabs it. The Force spins again, like moved by a earthquake.

 _\- Please._

 _\- Anakin..._

A second tear rolls on the youngest's cheek, and more than the pain he senses from Obi-Wan, his heart is dying. He wraps his Force on Obi-Wan's and feels his embrace in return. Anakin barely move apart, and their eyes meets again.

 _-_ Don't be sad. I'll always be there.

Anakin feels a soft pressure of the Force on his chest, right at the level of his heart. Obi-Wan tries a reassuring smile but only sees distress in his former padawan's eyes.

 _\- I'll always be there._

Anakin knows affection is not allowed for the Jedi, but he can't contain himself. Emotions are too intense and he's enable to release them into the Froce. He sudenly leans on Obi-Wan, and barely brushes his forehead with his lips.

\- I'm so scared.

His cheekbone.

\- You're everything I have.

His forehead again and remains here.

 _\- Obi-Wan..._

Even in the Force, his voice is shaking, begging.

 _\- Anakin... I..._

Anakin slightly moves back and Obi-Wan painfully breathes in when he realises he nearly doesn't see him anymore. A tear finally rolls on Obi-Wan's temple, and meets Anakin's hand, who's patiently waiting for his Master to go on, wishing to always push back the deadline. But stronger than any words, their bond moves and becomes incandescent. Anakin is devoured by an emotional wave coming from his Master. He's wrapped by a feeling so pure and strong that he suffocate. The next moment, he's suddenly pared-down of the bond when it tumbles into nonexistence. And everything goes still. Anakin doesn't hear anything, neither into the Force, nor around him.

He emerges when Obi-Wan, his gaze fixed in the space next to Anakin, mutters in a breath :

« Master... »

And Obi-Wan closes his eyes, his body now limp.

Their bond tears apart, the pain rises and Anakin shatters.

 _._

 _._

A ship has been flying over the planet's surface for nearly half an hour. Radars become agitated suddenly while the occupants recognize the carcasses of the war ship. The aircraft slows down and lifts a dust plume when it lands. The boarding ramp gets down and three clones exit the ship.

Captain Rex sends the two other soldiers to inspect a ship and focuses on his radar. He changes a few parameters and enters Obi-Wan's comlink coordinates. The radar indicates him a point nearby one of the ships, et he walks until he reaches it. He finds General Kenobi's comlink half burried under the dust and sighs.

« Some pieces are missing on General Skywalker's ship, Captain. »

« Probably some locals have been there. »

Answers Rex while encoding Anakin's comlink coordinates in his radar. It requires some time before the device gives him a weak answer. Rex looks in the given direction and only sees mountains far from there. He fastens the radar to his belt and runs towards his ship.

« Five, Echo, stays here and go on your researches. I'm going to check on a coordinate. Leave your comlinks turned on. »

« Yes, Captain ! » Answer the clones.

Rex takes a speeder from the ship and races to the mountains.

A few hills and minutes later, he discerns the foot of mountainous area. A last glance to the radar, and he races straight to his destination until he sees a little shelter.

When he stops his speeder on a secure distance, he's not sure of what he sees. He gradually identifies limbs, what looks like blood and a dark fabric covering something.

Rex carefully moves forward, ready to draw his blaster. He examines the care bag, the ripped clothes and... He's hit by the surprise when he identifies the clothing. His gaze instinctively goes to the fabric at the back of the cave . He moves forward, uncertain about what he'll find, and pushes away what he recognizes as a Jedi cape.

His breath is caught in his throath when he recognizes General Kenobi, white and lifeless. He stays hung on a moment, shocked. He was ready to find his general hurt, but not dead. He shakes his head to get his mind back and crouches on the General's side. He takes his glove off and checks the pulse without big hopes. He nearly jumps when he feels a slight pulse. Rex turns on his comlink immediately.

« Echo, Five ! Bring the ship to my coordinates immediately and tell the robodroïd to be ready for treats ! »

« Yes Captain ! »

Rex takes Obi-Wan's cape off to look at the extent of harm, even if he can't do much. He grimaces when he sees numerous cuts and even more for the most serious wound.

« You always have a talent to get yourself into the worst situations, you, Jedis. » whispers Rex, disconcerted.

 _._

 _._

Yoda and Mace Windu's presence is kind of rare in the Halls of Healing of the Temple. Their power in the Force shines and many are the younglings and padawans impressed by seeing those great Masters here.

Yoda's ears straighten up a bit when the healer gets out of the room. The two Masters patiently wait for him to choose his words.

« I'm sorry, I can't assure you he'll survive. He's seriously injured, and even if he gets over it, the consequences will be substantial, irreversible even. »

Mace slowly shake his head, afflicted. Yoda hums his despondency and his ears pulls down.

The healer bend in front of them before leaving.

The silence lingers a short moment, the Masters' attention focused on the hospital room. On the other side of the bay window, Obi-Wan is plunged in a bacta tank. Many cables are connected on differents parts of his body, a mask allows him to breathe and several machines give informations about his state.

« Nothing for him, we can. Find Skywalker, we must. »

 _._

 _._

Anakin move forward, limping into the cold of the night. His steps are heavy, the wind shakes his hair in every direction, but his gaze is fixed on a village's fortifications. In each hands, an activated lightsaber crackles when it meets dust. Only one thing is written on his face : _Hate._


	3. Return

The wind kept blowing, the rain never fell, the sun hasn't stopped warming up the atmosphere, and the blood has never left Anakin's hands.

He's laying on the ground, motionless. His body is half covered in black soil, so much it's nearly impossible to distinguish his clothing from dust. His skin is dirty, darkened by ashes, and dried blood patterns are written on it. His back occasionally rises under his breathing.

His eyes creased, all he sees is black and blue. A spread of dark lands from which he can't take his eyes away from and a sky so bright and blue that it burns the retina almost as much as the sun would. His back is burning, his stomach aching, his mouth completely dry, and with each breath he breathes in a bit more dust. He slowly blinks, tries to focus, but he can't anymore. But none of this matters. His mind is numb, burried in a frozen abyss. He waits. He waits.

He feels his lightsaber in his palm, while Obi-Wan's has rolled a bit further. From time to time, it moves, pushed by stronger wind blows. Until a hand picks it up.

Anakin sees one, then two pairs of boots passing in his field of view.

« Take him. »

The voice seems far away and unknown, his heartbeats resonates too loud in his ears. Four hands catch him and pull him up by the armpits. In a shot of survival instinct, he tries to fight back, but his body won't answer anymore. He's turned skyward and the brightness blinds him as he feels himself carried.

 _._

 _._

 _._

Mace Windu and Yoda are the last ones of the group to move towards the Council Chamber. The Masters take place on their respective seats while Yoda stops in the entrance. The Force whispers to him something he can't quite get. Without understanding the reason, Yoda remembers the horrible sensation he felt when Anakin's presence dissappeared, a week ago. All loss of a Force sensitive is a gruelling moment, but Anakin's presence shone so bright that his dissappearance was felt even by some padawans and younglings. The clone soldiers now have the order to find his body before offering him the funerals all Jedi deserve.

Mace turns to him with a questioning look, and Yoda first mumbles before announcing :

"A disturbance in the Force, I feel."

At the same time, the doors of the elevator open and a Guard from the Temple enters and bows.

« Masters. »

Some of the Jedi get up to hear the news. The guard reaches Yoda and gives him a holoprojector. One click and a smaller blue version of Captain Rex appears.

« Greetings, Master Yoda. I contact you to announce that General Skywalker has been found. He's alive."

Captain Rex figures it's the first time he ever sees surprise on Yoda's face.

 _._

 _._

 _._

Padmé is standing next to the bed, her hand lodged in Anakin's. The healer has left the room a few minutes earlier, leaving her alone with her husband and her worries. A few moments ago, she was out of a Galactic Senate reunion when Gregar Typho, her bodyguard, told her that Anakin had been found. Padmé immediately rushed here, cancelling her appointments of the day. Despite all her efforts to keep their relationship secret, she couldn't wait for the day to end before seeing Anakin. Not after such a long time without any news, and most especially after she was made aware of the changes in orders concerning the searching. But she refused to believe Anakin could be dead.

And there he is now, asleep, in the recovery room. The healer explained that they preferred to sedate him because the fever got him delirious, making the care so much more complicated. The healer's voice still resonates in her head. Strong dehydratation, undernutrition, several cuts, claw marks, one infected wound on the thigh, a dislocated shoulder, sunstroke. Everything has been treated, bandaged, disinfected, but the lungs still need to be cleaned when he'll be conscious.

Padmé tightens her fingers on her grip. Calm and worry are fighting within her. Anakin hadn't given a sign of life for so long, and Padmé can't help but imagine a countless number of scenarios about what could have happened to him. She closes her eyes for an instant, and tries to forget the images going through her mind. Relief finally takes over, and she manages to focus on the present time.

Sitting on the edge of the stretcher, Padme concentrates on Anakin's traits. He seems relaxed, his hand in hers is lukewarm and he doesn't seem to be in pain. One last glance to the corridor, and she bends toward Anakin to leave a kiss on his lips. The very moment their lips make contact, Anakin's grip crushes her fingers, and her breathing is blocked in her throat by an invisible hand.

 _._

 _._

 _._

When Akain opens his eyes, he doesn't immediately recognize the recovery room despite the many times he found himself there. His breathing is jerky, he clears his throat, feeling discomfort in his trachea. A wave of adrenalin slowly crawls down in his veins as he throws his legs over the stretcher. The change in position makes his head turn a bit, but he quickly recovers. He notices that he's wearing a simple tunic and loose pants, the classical patient outfit.

He tries to recover his memories but the last events are blurred. Anakin decides to push it off until later and lets himself slip from the strecher until his bare foot is in contact with the cold ground. A shiver run up his spine, and his senses rise. His body is a bit numb, his thigh protest with the effort, but he manages to find his balance after a few attempts.

He makes two steps before feeling a discomfort in his arm. The drip's tube is taut between the little bag and his arm. He pull it off with an abrupt movement and walks again, determined to discover what happened.

As he nearly gets out of the room, he notices a little pile of clothes settled on a short table. He immediately recognizes his own clothes, ripped, dirty, stained, and some images of the crash flashes in his mind. His waking on the foreign planet, the crash of his Master's ship, their way to the shelter, the treatments, his Master sleeping while he's on the watch,... But all of this is nothing compare to what he feels when he recognizes, settled next to his own on the top of the pile, Obi-Wan's lightsaber.

Images keeps coming in his mind. The crawling beast, blood, Obi-Wan's mutilated body, his last words, the dissolving light, their shattering bond. His body tenses. Anger, sadness, fear overwhelm him, and his sight blur. He feels the Force roll like an unleashed sea.

This is when Typho decides to enter the room. He sees Anakin first, eyes fixed on his stuff, then finaly Padmé's unmoving figure on the ground, partially hiden behind the sheet that's hang from the strecher.

« Wha—»

He can't finish his sentence, because he's flying in the room and violently crashes his back against a wall before falling on the ground, his breath cut. He distinguishes Anakin when he's leaving the room, and takes a few more seconds to take his breath back before pulling himself from the floor.

 _._

 _._

 _._

The debate is running for more than half an hour in Consil's chamber. The Masters try to elaborate a plan to counter a separatist action. But without the two generals available, negotiations suddenly seems pretty complicated. And Yoda's lack of reaction is really not helping.

« Master, what's wrong ? » Mace asks finally, exasperated with the never-ending debate.

Yoda opens his eyes, and looks at his old apprentice.

« In the Force, something remains. Strange, it is. Linked to this change, Skywalker seems to be. »

Mace nods, feeling this instability in the Force too. And when he's about to talk again, the Force suddenly shakes, alarming, before a wave stir in it. Silence fall and stays heavy in the Council chamber, while the Masters share a stunned look. They all recognize the hint of the dark side. Yoda is the first one to get up.

 _._

 _._

 _._

Obi-Wan is still lying in the bacta tank, his body in levitation into the liquid. One of the engine give rhythm to his breathing and his heartbeats beep regularly.

His body shakens.

Obi-Wan blinks fast, trying to clear his blury view. He attempts to breathe, and panics as he doesn't feel the oxygen enter his lungs. A second spasm and his hands get out of the liquid, grab hold of the rims and he suddenly sits in the bathtube. The breathing apparatus engine fill his lungs and he suffocates with the imposed breathing, his diaphragm twisting. He nearly goes down the liquid when he lets the bath's edges go, his body still dull. He manages to take his shaking hands to the mask that covers the lower part of his face, accidently tearing some eletrodes off his chest. The tube burns his trachea. He reaches to the back of the mask, scratching it with his nails, and succeed in getting it loose. He drags the tube out of his throat with some coughs and spits some saliva out.

He takes quick breath in, his eyes closed. He tries to remember what happened, where he is, but his mind is clouded. His throat is inflamed, and he is unable to stay in a sitting position without gripping the edges but the freedom of breathing supplants it. His eyes are scratchy, his skin is covered with a sticky liquid and the cold bites his damp skin. The health liquid slips from his ears as the alarms reach him. Engines. A shiver runs through him, and he realizes that the cold ain't physical. It's coming from the Force itself.

 _._

 _._

 _._

Anakin turns to the corner of a hallway and nearly crashes into a little girl.

« Master Skywalker ! I'm sorr- »

A glance stops her in her apology, and Anakin keeps moving. He barely hears her running away. He needs to get out of here, he has to see the Council. Those who did nothing to get them out of there.

« Find him ! »

A growl escapes from him. He can't lose time here. Anakin pushes a swing door, and slips in the hallway while some healers run before the now closed doors. The place is darker here, the only source of light is coming from the succession of the bedroom's bay windows. To the opposite is an exit door.

His irregular steps reverb in the hallway, his bare foot are heavy on the floor. A hand on his thigh, Anakin keeps going, teeth pressed together, his stare as sharp as blades. Anger refuses to quit him, but deep down the sorrow makes his nest, and he feels bile burning his oesophagus. Malencholia strangely pacifies his anger.

A door squeals a bit and a healer gets out from a room. Anakin nearly swears, and choses to avoid scatter victims on his way. He silently enters what he identifies being an engine room with all the gauges and purring of the devices. He glides under the only engine big enought to hide his figure.

Anakin waits a bit, hears the healer's steps passing in front of the door. He's about to get out of his hiding place when the healer comes back. He grits his teeth, exasperated, and asks himself if he shouldn't have get rid of him. As he waits, the healer keeps walking until he stands in front of one of the engine with a sigh. The discomfort in his troat wakes up and Anakin does everything he can not to cough. He hears the healer rummages at one of the engine but he can only see the healer's heels. The idea to furtively get out while he's busy emerges in his mind.

While he's about to get out from under the engine, a cliking is heard. The room is filled with light and many noises come to life. Anakin stands still, he's not in the shadows anymore. He hears the healer go away and closes the door, as a sight of relief escapes him.

He tries to get out of his hiding place, who's not really one anymore, and turns on his side but his shoulders cannot pass in the confined space. He turns on his back again and he's briefly blinded by the filtered light in the liquid. He blinks a bit, and once his sight is adjusted, his breath stops.

In front of him, a body floats in a greenish liquid. Light beams shine in the golden hair, softly red. The second element he notices is the long scar running down the back of the man, dark red contrasting with the pale color of the body in the green liquid. Anakin, his breath still cut, puts his hand on the glass wall and a wave resonates in the bathtube. His heart, that stopped the moment before, is now running in his chest.

As he takes a strong inhale, Anakin feels his heart squeeze, followed by his sides. Anger, fear, sadness, shock, relief, happiness, bitterness and shame colide in his head and a lament die in his throat.

The lying body jumps in front of him, and Anakin drags himself out from under the bacta tank, not caring about being seen anymore. He watches, speechless, Obi-Wan waking up. His vision blurred, but he is unable to move.

Obi-Wan stands abruptly, and manages to get rid of the breathing apparatus. Engines reverbate their alarms but Anakin don't pay attention to it. All he hears, is Obi-Wan's breath.

He stays like that, standing, scrutinizing his Master's profile, as he finally opens his eyes. One moment Obi-Wan looks all around him, slumped on the bathtube's edge, before he eventually lay his eyes on him. He immobilizes, and his look follow his shape to finaly found Anakin's. None of them say a word, nor moves. He never tought he might see those blue orbs again.

Anakin can easily read emotions passing on Obi-Wan's face. Confusion first, then understanding. He remembers. Despair. Anakin moves forward to confort him but the last emotion he reads on Obi-Wan's features make him stop, as he's crouching next to the bath. Fear.

Lack of understanding grows in Anakin's eyes and he rises a hand in his Master's direction. Obi-Wan stays still, petrified. One moment Anakin thinks about back-pedal then his fingers finally touch Obi-Wan's naked shoulder. At this moment, they both feel the contact zone growing warm, and a violent power go through them.

In the Force, their presences touch, grope around before recognizing each other. They mix again and the bond takes an orange hue, before sparkling, then shine until blaze.

Anakin and Obi-Wan are still looking at each other, hit by the moment's power. Only the shock is drew on their features, while they slowly take their breath back, speed up in synch. Obi-Wan slowly rises a hand, places it on Anakin's tight forearm, before slowly continue to ride up to the shoulder, as if he was discovering his old padawan's touch again. Anakin looks at him, memorizing all his eyesight can reach.

 _« You're alive. »_

Obi-Wan shivers at Anakin's voice in their bond. A tear rolls on the younger's cheek as they stay silent.

A second later, their bodies crash together. Anakin presses Obi-Wan's chest against his, while the other clings to his tunic, caging it in his fists. His hold is weak but resolute. Anakin's smock get soaked, but he doesn't mind. They can feel each other's heart beat against their chest. Sobs brutally shakes Anakin.

In the Force, they're assaulted by each ohter's feels. Worry, joy, anger, sadness, culpability, apologies, doubts, absence, weakness, powerlessness. His tears calm down and Anakin feels like he is floating under the emotion's flood, sensations.

They hear a healer enter the room and they slightly separate to look at him.

« What... It's you ! Let him go ! »

Cold invades the room and everybody shivers, but Anakin. The healer tries to come closer. Obi-Wan immediatly feels the rage exude from the younger man and fix his attention on him again.

 _« Anakin, n- ! »_

The healer was propelled on the room's glass wall before Obi-Wan was able to end his sentence. The glass shatters under the impact and the man falls inanimate on the floor after he hits the hallway's wall.

Obi-Wan doesn't have the time to react because Anakin tightens his grasp on him, and he suddenly feels lift up. The green liquid splashes the floor and Anakin's foot while he's dragging his Master out of the bathtube. Cables and the remaining electrodes are taken off and pulled off, making the older grumble. Obi-Wan's legs are still limp, and scrape the edge of the bath until his foot falls on the floor. The moment after, a sheet is reeled around him.

Anakin, caught by tiredness and his weakened leg, quickly finds himself in difficulty to support both of their weight. He wanes under the effort one second, before taking his hold on Obi-Wan again and places an arm under his legs. Obi-Wan feels a jot of embarrassment growing in him but he's too afraid to pay attention to it.

« They will never have you again. »

The cold remains. Obi-Wan forgets any embarassment while fear finds his way in his mind. He's unable to look anywhere but in Anakin's eyes. And for the second time today, he sees the yellow glow in his iris.

 _« Anakin... »_

Anakin heads for the door.

 _« Nobody will have you but me. »_

Obi-Wan is about to answer him but interrupts himself when Anakin stops suddenly, and they both look to the person who's obstructing the doorway. Yoda, leaning on his Gimer Stick, humming his dissatisfaction.

« A bad choice, you did, Anakin Skywalker. Feels, there are not. Peace, there is. »

Rage suddenly rises inside Anakin, and Obi-Wan quakes in his arms. Anakin slowly lets his catch go on his legs until they touch the floor. He lets him slip until he sits on the floor. The yellow eyes are still fixed on Yoda. The Force resonates under the tension. Anakin buries his hand in his trousers's pocket.

« Anakin ! » Obi-Wan's voice is muffled by the ignited lightsaber's sound.

The blue saber buzzes as Obi-Wan looks, powerless, Anakin move forward in Yoda's direction.

« Anakin, stop ! » _You have no chance_ he thinks.

But Anakin keeps moving.

« To the Dark Side, you're declining. Solutions, you will not found any. »

And he charges, the saber brandished over his head before striking with a deathblow. He never achieves his action, immobilized in his movement. His saber fall, turns off, bounces and rolls away. In front of him, Yoda has a hand raised in his direction, his face tensed under concentration. Consumed by hate, Anakin fights against the immobilizing Force. He will never kneel for anybody anymore. He's not a slave now. He will not let him pass.

« You'll never get him ! »

His voice is deformed, far more deeper than usual.

« Help you, we still can. »

His body still weakened, Anakin can't fight any longer. His knees bend as he still tries to resist. His body shakes under the effort and one of his knee touches the ground in the end. Anakin suddenly looses all resistance and he's kneeling before Yoda, head tilted forward.

Obi-Wan remains silent, assaulted by Anakin's emotions. Remorse and anger reach him and he immediately sends confort in return.

 _« Don't fight, let us help you. They don't want to hurt me. »_

Yoda comes nearer Anakin.

 _« I will not let them ! I— »_

Anakin's toughts are cut and he slowly lies on the floor before falling asleep. Yoda's hand stays on his head a bit, making sure he's sleeping.

Yoda then turns toward Obi-Wan, who's still where Anakin dropped him off. The old Master slowly comes nearer, his Gimer Stick echoing in the room and Obi-Wan tightens his grip on the sheet around him.

« What will you do ? »

« As I told him, help him, we can. In security, we will place him. »

A the same time, Mace enters the room and in one shared look with Yoda, he takes on the responsibility of carrying Anakin. Obi-Wan becomes agitated but his still numb body doesn't allow him to stand.

« Wait— »

Yoda raises a hand toward him, indicating him not to move.

« Seeing him, you will, when talked, we have. In your state, discuss, we must. »

The quick look Yoda launches at his legs is not missed by Obi-Wan. And he suddenly has a very bad feeling about this.


	4. Reunion

Yay! Chapter 4! Finaly! I hope I didn't make too many mistakes... I'm sorry if I left any!

* * *

Anakin opens his eyes to see a clear celling. The light is soft. Everything is silent around him, maybe too slient for his comfort. His eyelids scratches his pupils. He rises a hand to rub them but a shackle stops him. Flitting his lashes, he slowly rises his head to realise he's fastened to the bed he's lying on. Some straps hold his torso, wrists and ankles tightly. Despite his efforts, his memories are a blur.

A brown and white figure catches his attention and he recognises Mace Windu. The Jedi Master sits on a chair to his left, a datapap in hand.

« Welcome back, Skywalker. »

Anakin draws a crooked smile. Windu's indiferrent tone his familiar to him, and strangely calms his anxiety. Anakin surprises himself with this thought, and asks himself if they didn't gave him something while he had, he thinks, fainted.

« What happened ? Where are we ? »

Mace unglues his eyes from his datapad and leaves it on a table next to him before standing up.

« You're in the healing wing of the temple. What do you remember ? »

Anakin makes a real effort to plunge back into his memories, his brows furrowed, the look turn toward the celling again. Flashes comes back to him and seams to print on the white surface above him. He sees himself in the ship, alarms resounding from everywhere, then his awakening on the unknow planet, the smells, the heat,...

« You're here because you attacked members of the medical staff. » declares Mace, running low of patience.

Anakin closes his eyes, flashes intensifying. The ship in shreds, his painful leg, another ship crosses the sky.

« Obi-Wan ! » Anakin shouts out suddenly, his eyes wide open.

Images of their passage on the unknow planet keeps push and shove in his mind in a incoherent way.

« In good hands, Master Kenobi is. »

Anakin turns to Yoda, hoisted on a seat on his right. The Jedi Master's words calm his worries and his memories finaly make sense. The image of Obi-Wan in the bacta tank stays printed on his retina. Instinctively, he tries to reach for his Master into the Force but the void answers him. Then, he only notices the incomfortable presence around his neck.

« You cut me from the Force ? » hisses Anakin betwen his teeth.

He doesn't understand why such measures has been taken. They can't take his liberty away from him. They can't take the Force from him.

« The Dark side, in you, we have felt. To help you, necessary is this collar. But completely cut from the Force, you're not. Diminished, your perception is. »

Anakin focusses a bit more, and realises he feels the two masters's weak glow, but Obi-Wan is still nowhere to be found.

Anakin manages to stay calm, to the masters's surprise. And when he asks them what happened, Windu explains him how they found him, who he attacked, that he tried to launch an attack on Yoda. Anakin avoid the masters's eyes, a slight feeling of shame reddening his cheeks.

« I'm sorry, I didn't want to... I didn't mean to hurt anybody. »

He felt... No. He wasn't himself. He looks like hesitating a moment, but ends up asking :

« How are they ? »

Anakin keeps his head low, eyes fixed on his hands. He feels Windu's heavy look on him as the master's voice rises.

« Padme Amidala lost consciousness only for a short period of time, she was allowed to go back to her apartements rapidly. Her guard is still under medical care, but may leave soon. The healer is mostly in shock. He was lucky not to be more badly injured than he is. »

 _Or you're lucky he's not more badly injured instead._ Guesses Anakin at Mace's tone.

« And Obi-Wan ? »

« His state is stable. »

Anakin's hands tighten with frustration. If he wants real answers, he will have to find them by himself. He would rather have know what to expect.

« I would like to see him. »

« Remove your shackles, we can ? Enough control, you have ? »

Anakin finaly raises his head, and look at Yoda. His hands relax, and his eyebrows are not in a frown anymore. Yes, he can control himself.

« I think. I can't do much anyway. »

Windu looks at Yoda, waiting for an approval. Yoda ends up turning his head to him and nods.

.

The ground draws closer and closer on a frightening speed, and he can't slow his ship's fall. He hammers the emergency parachute's button but nothing happens. His legs are burning.

He's in the dark. Only a thin ray of light nearly blinds him. Sounds slowly come back, one after the other. The watter, the wind whistles between the metal and the ground, some steps.

 _Anakin_

He walks. Held up, he goes forward. He only sees the black ground pass before his feets. The heat is sweltering. Everything move too fast. His legs. They burn.

A blue radiance. He's standing, his saber moving in every directions, trying to end the infernal beast's assault. Then suddenly, a piercing pain, a jaw closed on his legs.

Anakin, above him. The Force who shakes him. The cold.

Qui-Gon.

Obi-Wan startles awake.

.

Anakin looks at the opaque window pane who only show shapes from people inside. He can't distinguish the differents objects, the light inside of the room is too low.

He closes his eyes, allowing a sigh to relax his shoulders. He can finaly feel it. His presence. He takes another long inspiration and sighs, relaxing a bit more.

« Go on. »

The healer standing next to him nods before starting his monologue.

 _Damaged muscles, right knee's tendons three fourths eroded, left achille tendon eroded, right patella cracked, right and left shinbone eroded at some places._

 _Late healing, impossible to cure._

Anakin catches himself on the window ledge. He memorises everything, but he can't believe it.

 _Handicapped from lower limbs._

Anakin closes his eyes for a moment, trying to hold his emotions back.

« He refuses any visits. »

Anakin opens his eyes. The healer waits, but he's looking everywhere but at him, clearly feeling uncomfortable. Anakin stays focused on his hands, still on the ledge. He have to see him. It's necessary.

He suddenly moves, too fast to be catched by the healer. He opens the door, and catches a glimpse of a lying shape on the bed. Two healer assistants immediately walk toward him, stopping him in his progression.

Anakin's eyes are focused on Obi-Wan. He's lying on his side, his back facing him. He fights against the assistants's grip, refusing to get out of the room.

« Master Skywalker— » tries the healer.

« That's alright. » interrupts Obi-Wan, still unmoving.

The healer sighs, gives a last look at Anakin before leaving. The assistants collect their equipment and leave too.

First, Anakin doesn't dare to move, then chooses to sit next to the bed. He watches Obi-Wan's back moving with his breathing. No one speak. Anakin tries to approach his Master with the Force, gently strokes Obi-Wan's presence, but he's only facing a wall. He insists, without forcing his way.

If Obi-Wan doesn't let an emotion show trhough the Force, he still can't find his stability. The last events jostle in his head. Everything stay as unclear as in his dreams. And to add to this discomfort, he can't meditate to expel his feelings.

He feels useless, unworthy, and the shame eat him up. The memory of Qui-Gon dying in his arms haunts him since his last awakening. He can taste his padawan failure's bitterness once again. And here he is now, invalid, unable to ensure his Master and Jedi position.

Anakin can't turn his attention away from Obi-Wan, his eyes fixed on the man's neck. He wanted to rush to him at first, make sure he's really here, alive. Then his shyness, coming straight from his padawan's attitude, got the upper hand.

« Don't lose your time here. »

Anakin nearly jumps, immersed in his thoughts. Obi-Wan's emotionless voice disturbs him. He's about to answer him but Obi-Wan go on.

« Heal, go see the council, go back on missions. You have responsabilities to keep. »

Anakin feels his gut contract with pain. He's taken aback. How can he think like that ? Does he really believes he will left him behind ? Doesn't it make anything to him ?

« There is no way I- »

« Anakin. » Obi-Wan's voice is sharp, cold.

Anakin clenches his fists and stands. Obi-Wan stays still, his face away from Anakin. His Master's attitude wakes his distress.

« No ! Don't count on me to play like everything is fine. There is no way I'll leave you alone. Not in this situation ! » Then, more quietly « we'll find a solution. There must be— »

« There is nothing we can do, Anakin ! »

Obi-Wan is finaly facing him, lift up on an elbow, his hips falling on the mattress, followed by his leg. His eyes are red, choleric, his skin far too white, his hair are a mess. Anakin is chocked by the tiredness, angryness and distress showing on this usually impertubable face.

« It's too late to do anything ! I'm condemn to be assisted all my life ! I can't follow you anymore Anakin ! You have to manage on your own, because I can't be... I'm not— »

« Don't say it. »

Anakin can't hear those words. He can't see him like that. He can't accept it. He turns away form Obi-Wan, his hands pressed behind his head in a vain attempt to control himself. Obi-Wan fights to become a Jedi, he went through numerous ordeals, trained too hard and is a too good man to deserve this. He's strong, nothing can happen to him. Nothing.

But Obi-Wan go on, his voice weaker :

« I'm not a Jedi anymore. »

Anakin recognizes the stinging who became too familiar behind his eyes. His gut twists under the feels ravaging his mind. He pulls slightly on his hair as he untangles his hands, folding his arms on his chest, trying to hold himself.

« It's not fair. »

His voice is a bit broken. He fights to contain his feels. He can't give it way now. Obi-Wan needs him.

« Anakin... These things happen. With our role, we risks our health and lifes with every missions. We already have been lucky enough until then, especially if we count the number of times it could have ended badly. It have to happen and- »

« Shut up. »

Obi-Wan looks at Anakin, stunned. The younger did stand up to him, desobey, but he never lacked respect toward him, nor insulted him.

« Anak- »

« Sut up ! »

Anakin brutally turns on his heels, and comes near the bed. Bend over Obi-Wan, his cheeks pinker with anger, his eyes foggy, his lower lip slightly shaking, the rage is drew on his features. For a moment, Obi-Wan thinks he sees a golden shard in the depths of his iris.

« How can you speak like that ? It's like it's not serious ! As if being a Jedi was nothing to you ! »

Frustration shakes Anakin when Obi-Wan puts his impassive mask back in place.

« One of us have to be realistic. »

Anakin's breath catches in his throat, outraged by what he just heard. Anger becomes pain. His eyes are burning now.

« How can you give up ? »

Obi-Wan observes Anakin. His heart is heavy and painfull. He knows he's hurting him, but he can't bury his head in the sand. He must be honnest with himself, with Anakin. Giving him false promises would only complicated things.

« Anakin... »

His mask cracks again, overwhelmed by those feels he can't get rid of. He sighs and pats the matress's edge, inviting his protégé to sit down. Anakin hesitates a moment then complies, a bit less reluctant when he sees an emotion settle in Obi-Wan's eyes. But the shields are still high around his Master's presence.

« The problem is there is no solution. My injuries are too serious. »

Anakin is about to protest, but Obi-Wan stops him by grasping his hand.

« There is nothing you can do, Anakin. It's too late. »

It's too much for Anakin, tears pass his eyelids and he looks away. His hand moves under Obi-Wan's and he imprisons his Master's fingers in his palm. His grip is strong, but not painful.

« I should have collect the equipment before taking shelter. »

« Anakin— »

« I could have stayed and I could have protected you and you wouldn't be— »

Anakin's voice is blocked in his throat by a sob. He's unable to say it aloud. He can't. Obi-Wan's hand leaves his and he feels dragged by his arm before being pressed against his Master's chest, half lying on the bed, his face hidden in the crook of his neck.

« No, you couldn't have known. Nobody could. »

Obi-Wan draws circles on Anakin's back with his hand, follows his spinal column, tries to reassure him. _And reassure yourself_ , murmurs a little voice.

« It's not your fault Anakin. »

Anakin slowly hangs onto Obi-Wan's tunic and don't holds his tears back anymore. Despite Obi-Wan's words, and the fact he knows he's right, he can't avoid the guilt to gnaw on him. Since forever, he have a knack for finding a plan B for situations who looks impossible to resolve.

But with this problem, he's helpless. No emergency plan to save the moment. He's useless. He feels incompetent, not strong enough, not smart enough. And this unfairness is unbearable. He tasted it too much already.

« It's unfair. » murmurs Anakin.

Obi-Wan tries to control himself but the overflowing emotions leaves him disarmed. He already struggle with the situation, but with Anakin's feels hurting his shields and stirring their bond, he don't feel capable of maintaining his perfect Jedi image.

His reassuring gestures disapear and his fists grab Anakin's tunic.

It's useless to pretend. _You're not a Jedi anymore._ A cruel voice reminds him deep inside his mind.

He takes a hard breath in and turns his face to the side.

« no, it's not. »

His voice breaks on the last word, and he grits his teeth while a tear run down his temple. Anakin suddenly become his only hold on the present, while his mind is overwhelmed by all the dark thoughts eating him up. He doesn't have the strengh to keep them out of his mind, his shields begun to collapse.

« What am I going to do ? »

Anakin senses the tremendous distress in Obi-Wan's voice and leaves his neck to look at him. Obi-Wan is still looking to the side, his eyes red and shiny. Then all of the sudden, he looks at Anakin and a sharp breath tighten his throat.

« Ani » does his strangled voice.

And he breaks, tears soaking his temples and cheeks. He doesn't know how he managed to hold this until now. Anakin hurries his hands on either side of his head who's sinking in the pillow, unable to stay still with the pain crossing his gut and chest. His legs's dead weight increases his distress feeling, like a continual and oppressive reminder. Anakin feels useless, hesitant about the way to calm his Master. His sobs are loud now and he clings to Anakin with all his strength.

« Help me »

His helplessness his crushing him. He doesn't want to stay like this, he wants to have his abilities back. He wants his legs back. He wants his dignity back.

The shields cedes and Anakin recieves all Obi-Wan's feelings like a hurricane. He finds himself relieved to wear the collar, because he doesn't know how he would have endure the entire intensity of it any other way.

« M-Master... »

Anakin tries to immobilize him under him, to soothe him by stroking his hair.

« Obi-Wan... »

His temples, cheeks, wiping his tears.

« Shhh... Obi.. »

Obi-Wan finaly calms down, little by little. Anxiety comes back down when he regains consciousness of what's around him. Anakin's blue orbs become his only focus to get to the surface, the only thing that matters.

Anakin's hands stroke his cheeks more and more carefully. He manages to relax, his breathing slowing and growing longer. His peripheral vision, previously darken on the edges, recovers his clarity progressively.

« It's gonna be okay. I'm here. I'm with you. »

« I-I'm sorry. »

« Shh, It's okay. I will not leave you. »

 _Not again_ he continues in his mind.

Seconds flow by and Obi-Wan slowly nods. Anakin hesitates, then kisses Obi-Wan's forehead and the man welcomes the gesture. Obi-Wan's hands leaves his tunic to fall on the younger's wrists with a weak hold, almost gentle.

Obi-Wan's sigh carress his neck and he stays one more second before mobing back. He slowly moves some messy strands of hair aside from Obi-Wan's forhead. His fingers pass on his master's cheeks, erasing the tears for the last time.

« You're exhausted. You need to sleep. »

Obi-Wan doesn't look away, his breath slightly rough again. Anakin gives him a soft smile.

« I'm not going anywhere. »

Air returns to Obi-Wan's lungs. He feels much more eased than what he thought.

He tries to make some space but he have troubles to move his legs with only one arm, worn out. Anakin gently sets a hand down his legs, making Obi-Wan's eyes raise to him. With a silent question, Anakin returns his look. The exchange lasts a few seconds, then Obi-Wan nods. Anakin carefully takes hold of his legs and slides them on one half of the bed.

Anakin adjusts the sheets on Obi-Wan, before lying beside him. Both laid on their side, they're facing each other. Anakin moves a bit, trying to find confort despite his collar. His gaze finds Obi-Wan's, who's inquiring.

« Yoda and Windu put it on me. Security mesure. »

Obi-Wan look at him for a moment without saying a word, before raising a hand and placing it down the back of the collar, his fingers grazing the bolt. Anakin is about to protest, frowning.

« I know you'll not hurt me. » Obi-Wan almost whispers.

Anakin swallows. Doubt eats him up. He feels quite at peace now, but will it stays that way if Obi-Wan frees him ? He believes in him, trusts him to don't get out of control, but Anakin stays uncertain about his hability to stay the same if his heart is assaulted by darkness again. Anakin grasps Obi-Wan's forearm.

« No. »

Obi-Wan questions him with a glance and Anakin looks down.

« I prefer keeping it for now. »

« Ok. » mutters Obi-Wan, passing his fingers twice in the locks of hair on Anakin's nape.

He raises his eyes on Obi-Wan, while his Master puts his arm under the covers, adjusting the fabric to cover himself up to his neck before closing his eyes.

He gazes at him while he seems to fall asleep, his breath becoming deep and steady. Obi-Wan's asleep in the arid planet's shelter violently comes back to his memory, and Anakin tries to expel his unease in a sigh, closing his eyes. He almost can smell earth and blood's scent.

He suddenly opens his eyes when he feels something on his cheek. He watches, motionless, Obi-Wan with his still closed eyes. In his half sleep, he brought his hand near Anakin's face, two fingers lazily following the curve of his chin. Anakin abruptly feels pacified. For the second time today, he has the impression to become a young padawan again. It's a gesture Obi-Wan used to ease his racing mind when he couldn't find sleep, always dispeling his fears. But a child or teen's problems are not the same as an adult's. And if the touch subsides him, images don't disapears forever.

Before Obi-Wan take his hand away, Anakin gently takes it with his flesh hand and brings it to his chest. Obi-Wan stay still, now deep in sleep as it seems. Anakin watches him a few more minutes, as if he wanted to be sure the man will not be shook by another emotional hurricane.

Tiredness plunges him in a relative sleep in the end.


End file.
